Fröhlich, Marlen, Sievers, Christine, Townsend, Simon W., Gruber, Thibaud and van Schaik, Carel P. (2019) Multimodal communication and language origins : integrating gestures and vocalizations. Biological Reviews, 94 (5). pp. 1809-1829. doi:10.1111/brv.12535

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Abstract

The presence of divergent and independent research traditions in the gestural and vocal domains of primate communication has resulted in major discrepancies in the definition and operationalization of cognitive concepts. However, in recent years, accumulating evidence from behavioural and neurobiological research has shown that both human and non‐human primate communication is inherently multimodal. It is therefore timely to integrate the study of gestural and vocal communication. Herein, we review evidence demonstrating that there is no clear difference between primate gestures and vocalizations in the extent to which they show evidence for the presence of key language properties: intentionality, reference, iconicity and turn‐taking. We also find high overlap in the neurobiological mechanisms producing primate gestures and vocalizations, as well as in ontogenetic flexibility. These findings confirm that human language had multimodal origins. Nonetheless, we note that in great apes, gestures seem to fulfil a carrying (i.e. predominantly informative) role in close‐range communication, whereas the opposite holds for face‐to‐face interactions of humans. This suggests an evolutionary shift in the carrying role from the gestural to the vocal stream, and we explore this transition in the carrying modality. Finally, we suggest that future studies should focus on the links between complex communication, sociality and cooperative tendency to strengthen the study of language origins.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	P Language and Literature > P Philology. Linguistics
Divisions:	Faculty of Science > Psychology
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Language and languages -- Origin, Oral communication, Nonverbal communication, Computer networks -- Social networks, Gesture, Semantics
Journal or Publication Title:	Biological Reviews
Publisher:	Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc.
ISSN:	1464-7931
Official Date:	October 2019
Dates:	Date Event October 2019 Published 27 June 2019 Available 30 April 2019 Accepted
Volume:	94
Number:	5
Page Range:	pp. 1809-1829
DOI:	10.1111/brv.12535
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Publisher Statement:	This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Fröhlich, M. , Sievers, C. , Townsend, S. W., Gruber, T. and Schaik, C. P. (2019), Multimodal communication and language origins: integrating gestures and vocalizations. Biol Rev. doi:10.1111/brv.12535, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.12535. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions.
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
RIOXX Funder/Project Grant:	Project/Grant ID RIOXX Funder Name Funder ID FK-17-106 Universität Zürich http://viaf.org/viaf/122255956 FR 3986/1-1 [DFG] Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001659 CR13I1_162720 Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung http://viaf.org/viaf/150746866 P300PA_164678 Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung http://viaf.org/viaf/150746866 PP00P3_163850 Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung http://viaf.org/viaf/150746866

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